We have been traveling and I have not been able to post so I hope you will forgive me. I should be much better in posting from here on.
GOD’S PEOPLE WILL BE PRESERVED
Revelation 7:1-8
There is a time with in the seven trumpets that God will
save the faithful. "This sealing occurred in this interlude between the sixth and seventh
seals. An interlude also comes between the sixth and seventh trumpets
(Revelation 10:1–11:13) but not between the sixth and seventh bowls (Rev_16:12-21)" Life Application New
Testament Commentary
As you will see below there is an important group that
will have a defined purpose.
Rev 7:1 Then I saw four angels
standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they
did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree.
The four corners are the compass points North East West South, so we are referring
to the whole world here. Why is God doing this? Rev_6:17 says: For the
great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it? from
the NIV These four angels
are holding back the wind on the earth and
sea. There has just been mass destruction everywhere on the earth Daniel 7:2 and Rev_6:12-13
and now it like being in the Eye of a hurricane.
I suspect there was those that felt it was all over. There were others that
felt, what's next. I have a feeling that he silence was deafening.
Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel coming up from the
east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels,
who had been given power to harm land and sea, Rev 7:3 "Wait! Don't harm the land or the sea or
the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of His
servants."
There will be a mark on the faithful at this time. The
verses below give a list of those who are to be marked by the angel on the forehead
of the faithful. This has been done before in the bible, Eze_9:4-7.
This mark will also be copied by Satan to mark his followers. Revelation 13:16New International Version (NIV) 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor,
free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads.
The 144,000 will be there to show God to
those who do not have the mark. Those people may be caught and executed by Satan's
followers but is that so bad? If you are absolutely sure that there is a God, wouldn't you prefer death over Hell? Remember everything that they have seen. The Bible is playing out right in front of them.
Rev 7:4 And I heard how many were marked with the
seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel: Rev 7:5 from
Judah, 12,000; from Reuben, 12,000; from Gad, 12,000; Rev
7:6 from Asher, 12,000; from
Naphtali, 12,000; from Manasseh, 12,000; Rev 7:7 from Simeon, 12,000; from Levi, 12,000; from
Issachar, 12,000; Rev 7:8 from Zebulun, 12,000; from Joseph, 12,000;
from Benjamin, 12,000.
The Life
Application New Testament Commentary says: " 7:4-8 The number
of those who were sealed is 144,000. This does not mean that only
144,000 people alive on the earth at that time will be saved. Most likely, it
is a symbolic number: 12 x 12 x 1,000, symbolizing completeness. A similar
multiple appears in Rev_21:16,
when John was measuring the new Jerusalem (see also
Rev_14:1).
Some believe that the tribes of Israel refers
specifically to Jews—that there will be a great revival among the Jews and that
many will be saved. Some say that there will be exactly 144,000 Jews
saved—perhaps to be evangelists for the rest of the great multitude (Rev_7:9).
This list differs slightly from the lists of the twelve tribes that occur in
various places in the Old Testament. Some reasons for the differences could be:
(1) Judah is mentioned first because Judah is both the tribe of David and of
Jesus the Messiah (Gen_49:8-12;
Mat_1:1).
(2) Levi had no tribal allotment because of the Levites’ work for God in the
Temple (Deu_18:1),
but here the tribe is given a place as a reward for faithfulness. (3) Dan is
not mentioned because it was known for rebellion and idolatry—traits
unacceptable for God’s followers (Gen_49:17).
(4) The two tribes representing Joseph (usually called Ephraim and Manasseh,
after Joseph’s sons) are here called Joseph and Manasseh because of Ephraim’s
rebellion. See Genesis 49 for the story of the beginning of these twelve
tribes.
Most likely, however, this listing of the twelve tribes is
symbolic of all of God’s true followers—the “true Israel,” which is the church (Rom_2:29;
Rom_9:6;
Gal_3:29;
Gal_6:16;
1Pe_2:9).
All of God’s followers will be brought safely to him; not one will be
overlooked or forgotten. When persecution begins, the faithful will have
already been sealed (marked by God), and they will remain true to him until the
end."
Regardless o how you feel the correct versions are there
will be a time when the 144,000 preach the gospel. There will be people that
are saved. This is the last opportunity that will be given. Many who did not
believe will be saved at that last moment of their lives. Is this fair to those
that have been a Christian all their lives. That is a question only God can
answer but I truly hope that it is true.
Agape
Dave
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